The invention relates to an assembly comprising a universal joint and a drive gear. The universal joint includes a first joint yoke rotatable around a first axis of rotation, a second joint yoke rotatable around a second axis of rotation and a cross member unit. The cross member connects the joint yokes to one another. The joint yokes are articulatable relative to one another so that the angles of their axes of rotation can be adjusted relative to one another.
Driveshafts connected to at least one drive primarily use this type of universal joint assemblies. Especially in agricultural implements, such as forage harvesters, the drive is effected via driveshafts. The driveshafts are connected to a drive at the input end and to a drive at the output end. The joint yokes of the driveshaft joints at the drive end are each connected to a drive journal which projects from the drive housing. The drive journal, inside the drive, is either gear-shaped or connected to a gear.
In the case of forage harvesters, the chopped material is fed into the harvester by a feeding system which includes upper and lower rollers. The feeding system is driven by a drive and is arranged between two wheels of an axle. The height of the lower rollers of the feeding system is fixed. The height of the upper rollers is adjustable as a function of the quantity of chopped material. The lower rollers are driven by a drive driven by a driveshaft. The upper rollers are driven by a further drive which is driven by a further driveshaft. At the input end, both driveshafts are connected to a drive which is driven by a shaft of a tractor or of a self-driving working machine or of a hydro-motor. Together with the upper and lower rollers, the drives for driving the rollers, the driveshafts and the drive at the input end are arranged between the driving wheels of the tractor or of the self-driving working machine. The installation lengths of the drive shafts are therefore greatly restricted. However, the upper rollers require a considerable range for height adjusting purposes, so that large articulation angles may occur for the drive driving the upper rollers. In consequence, the service life of the driveshaft is reduced considerably.